Man takes legal action to change his own age

Should it be legal to change your own age ? Image Credit: PD - Joe Gratz

69-year-old Emile Ratelband has taken his local authority to court in an effort to have his age legally changed to 49.

The Dutch entrepreneur and TV personality, who was born on 11th March 1949, took legal action after being refused an application to have his date of birth officially changed to 11th March 1969.

Ratelband maintains that he feels 20 years younger than he actually is and will enjoy numerous benefits from having this formally recognized on his birth certificate.

Part of his argument is that if transgender people can change their gender, then he should be allowed to change his age, especially given that his doctor has stated that he has the body of a 45-year-old.

He also claims that he has been discriminated against due to his age.

The case has caused quite a lot of controversy and debate in his native Netherlands.

"I have done a check-up and what does it show? My biological age is 45 years," he said. "When I'm 69, I am limited. If I'm 49, then I can buy a new house, drive a different car. I can take up more work."

"When I'm on Tinder and it says I'm 69, I don't get an answer. When I'm 49, with the face I have, I will be in a luxurious position."

It will be interesting to see the outcome of this. Its a solid argument in my eyes if you can change your gender why cant you change your age. Ones as physically grounded as the other. I must state though i personally do not agree with changing one self outside of what nature intended. But I am willing to live and let live.

So what? How does it effect YOU if some guy wants to legally change his age? And actually he has a point about age discrimination. It's still perfectly legal most places, even the US. Same with gender identity. Conservatives need to shut up about that too.

If you were born male, your biologically male. If your born female your biologically female. If you were born in 2008 your biologically 10 years old now in 2018. Anything you change, be it age, gender etc is a lie against what was biologically created at birth. From a courts perspective one should stand as strongly as the other. As people have stated theres plenty of issues associated with saying your younger than you are. Its like winding back the mileage on your car to say its done 50,000 less. To the same degree we have biologically born men competing and winning in female sport because ... [More]

I remember this guy from the time I still lived in the Netherlands. He is a nut case and most Dutch people do not like him at all. He craves media attention at all times and therefore he comes up with these ridiculous ideas. He is not to be taken serious.